Sliced food package



Filed June 25, 1958 INVENTOR DANIEL E- FARRELL M,m7azzw Ovfforneys United States atet SLICED FOOD PACKAGE Daniel E. Farrell, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Milprint, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application June 25, 1958, Serial No. 744,529

4 Claims. (Cl. 99-171) This invention relates in general to packaging and, more particularly, to improvements in that type of package which is used in conjunction with an overwrap for sliced food products, or the like.

"The present invention finds particular utility in packages for sliced bacon, or the like, in which the slices are arranged in overlapping relationship to form a mass of rectangular outline which is thickest in the center and tapers to a thin edge along the longitudinal sides. The food mass thus has a cross-sectional shape of substantial thickness in its central portion and tapers at either side down 'to a thin edge. This particular shape of sliced food mass has presented difficulties in economically packaging and wrapping and at the same time providing an attractive and neat package which securely holds the slices in overlapping relationship and also protects the slices from damage or disarrangement due to handling.

Prior art packages for products of this type have been proposed in which a main supporitng body is provided for the food, and over one side and one end of said body are folded relatively narrow panels or flaps. In order to provide as economical a package as possible, a separate end wall conforming even generally to the crosssectional shape of the food mass is not provided. Instead, it has been proposed to cut a slit along a central portion only of the score line between the main body and the end flap which permits the main body and end flap to separate from one another and bend to follow the general contour of the food mass. While this prior art device'does meet with some success, it also has certain shortcomings, particularly that of causing binding at the corner where the side and end flaps are folded over one another. Slated otherwise, because the end flap and main panel were joined together at this corner, when the panels were folded over the food no provision was made to accommodate the thickness of the food mass at this location. Therefore, even though the food mass was thin at this corner, the interlocked flaps not only squeezed and deformed the product in this area, but they were rather difficult to fold and interlock over this area. In addition, this binding action tended to encourage tearing at the end of the score lines and general deformation of the package at this area.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved package of the above general type has been provided in which the binding action and package deformation have been eliminated and at the same time, good holding characteristics of the panels are provided.

More specifically, the invention provides a package comprising a generally rectangular main support body having a relatively narrow side panel folded over one of its longitudinal sides, said main body also having an end panel folded thereover and secured thereto only at its end which is remote from the side panel. Interlocking means are provided between the side and end panels which hold them together and permit both the side panel and the main body to independently bend for the major portion 2,929,724 Cg Patented Mar. 22, 1960 of their adjacent lengths, so as to freely follow the contour of the food mass.

Generally, the invention provides a particularly economical package which aifords good protection for the product without deforming it or the package itself. The package provided by this invention is made with a minimum of waste material and presents an attractive and neat appearance. 7

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter as this disclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a finished package for sliced bacon, which package utilizes the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the package shown in Figure 1, but on an enlarged scale and without the overwrap for clarity; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of a paperboard blank which Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the paper-' board blank 5 is formed into a main support panel or body 6 which is of generally rectangular shape and is of a size suflicient to support a predetermined number of slices of food thereon, such as the bacon slices 7 illustrated. Along one of the long sides 8 of the blank 5, and parallel thereto, a score line 9 is provided to form a relatively narrow side panel 10. Panel 10 is generally coextensive in length with the body 6.

An end panel 12 is defined at one end of body 6 by a score line 13 and also by a slit 14 which extends therefrom as at 15. Thus the end panel 12 is separated from the body 6 along the major portion of its length by the slit 14, and is foldable over the body along the short score line 13. It will be noted that one end of the panel 12 terminates a distance short of the side of the body, as defined by the score line 9, and a locking means in the form of a tab 15 and slit 16 are formed on this side.

A complementary locking means is provided on the outer edge of panel 10 and also comprises a tab 17 and slit 18. The slices of food are laid on the body 6 in overlapping relationship, and side panel 10 is then folded over the food. The end flap 12 is then folded over the food and over the panel 10 and the tab 15 then inserted into the slit 18. The body 6 and panel 12 are spread apart, up to the point 15 where the slit 14 meets the score line 13, to thereby follow the contour of the food mass cross section. An overwrap of thin and transparent material is then tightly secured around the folded blank and food to complete the package.

When the panels 10 and 12 are both folded over the food on body 6, the locking means are engaged with one another by the panel 10 being engaged in slit 16 and panel 12 being engaged in slit 18. The particular locking means provided insures adequate holding power so as to prevent disengagement of flaps 10 and 12 when the latter is raised above the main body 6, as shown best in Figure 2. As a result, even though that part of panel 12 which is adjacent the panel 10 is unsupported and unconnected to the body, disassembly and unfolding the panels 10 and 12 cannot occur. Because of the good locking connection between the panels 10 and 12, they act somewhat as a single piece and bend together to conform to the shape of the product.

As one of the panels, such as the end panel 12, is not coextensive with the width of body 6, excessive layers of the paperboard blank are avoided in this corner of V r 3 the finished package. The end edge of body 6 along the slit'14 may" also bend to accommodate the thickness of" the food. Consequently, that portion of the food 10- side and one end edge thereof to define a main panel and side and end flaps hinged thereto, one of said flaps being substantially coextensive with said main panel and being united thereto for its entire length and the other of said flaps being separated from said main panel along a line of severance extending from an extreme end of said flap to a point spaced inwardly of its opposite end at its hinge forming score line, a plurality offood slices arranged on said 'main panel in edge overlapping condition whereby the assembled slices present a mass tapering in thickness toward opposite edges of said panel, said one flap being folded over the adjacent food slices along a tapered edge of the mass and said other flap being folded over the adjacent endof said food slices to conform to the contour of the mass, and means for retaining said flaps in such folded condition.

2. A sliced food package comprising, a normally flat sheet of paperboard scored inwardly from one marginal side and one end edge thereof to define a main panel and side and end flaps hinged thereto, said side flap being substantially coextensive with said main panel and being united thereto for its entire length and said end flap being separated from said main panel along a line of severance extending from an extreme end of said end flap adjacent said side flap to a point spaced inwardly of its opposite end at its hinge forming scoreline, a plurality of food slices arranged on said main panel in edge overlapping condition whereby the assembled slices pre sent a mass tapering in'thickness toward opposite side edges of said panel, said side flap being folded over the adjacent food slices along a tapered edge of the mass and said end flap being folded over the adjacent end of said food slices to conform to the contour of the mass,

2,929,724: 7 a a (V ,t t

and means for locking said flaps in such folded condition. 3; A sliced food package comprising, a normally flat sheet of paperboard scored inwardly from one marginal side and one end edge thereof to define a main panel and side and end flaps hinged thereto, said side flap being substantially coextensive with said main panel and being united thereto for its entire length and said end flap being separated from said main p'anel'along a line of severance extending from an extreme end of said end flap adjacent said side flap to a point spaced inwardly of its opposite,

, jacent end of said food slices and secured at its free end to the adjacent end of said side flap to conform to the contour ofthe mass.

4. A sliced food package comprising, a normaily flat sheet of paperboard scored inwardly from one marginal side and one and edge thereof to define a main panel and side and end flaps hinged thereto, said side flap being substantially coextensive with said main panel and being united thereto for its entire length and said end flap. originating at the marginal edge of said main panel remote from said side flap and extending only partially across the end of said main panel and being separated from said main panel along a line of severance extending for the major portion of the width of said panel from the end of said end flap nearest said side flap in the same plane as its hinge forming score line to a point spaced inwardly of its opposite end, and a plurality of food slices arranged on said main panel in edge overlapping condition whereby the assembled slices present a mass tapering in thickness toward opposite side edges of said panel, said side flap-being folded over the adjacent food slices along a tapered edge of the mass and said end flap being folded over the adjacent end of said food slices and se cured at its free end to the adjacent end of said side flap to conform to the contour of the mass.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,768,779 Bonini Oct. 30, 1956 

1. A SLICED FOOD PACKAGE COMPRISING, A NORMALLY FLAT SHEET OF PAPERBOARD SCORED INWARDLY FROM ONE MARGINAL SIDE AND ONE END EDGE THEREOF TO DEFINE A MAIN PANEL AND SIDE AND ENDS FLAPS HINGED THERETO, ONE OF SAID FLAPS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID MAIN PANEL AND BEING UNITED THERETO FOR ITS ENTIRE LENGTH AND THE OTHER OF SAID FLAPS BEING SEPARATED FROM SAID MAIN PANEL ALONG A LINE OF SEVERANCE EXTENDING FROM AN EXTREME END OF SAID FLAP TO A POINT SPACED INWARDLY OF ITS OPPOSITE END AT ITS HINGE FORMING SCORE LINE, A PLURAITY OF FOOD SLICES ARRANGED ON SAID MAIN PANEL IN EDGE OVERLAPPING CONDITION WHEREBY THE ASSEMBLED SLICES PRESENT A MASS TAPERING IN THICKNESS TOWARD OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID PANEL, SAID ONE FLAP BEING FOLDED OVER THE ADJACENT FOOD SLICES ALONG A TAPERED EDGE OF THE MASS AND SAID OTHER FLAP BEING FOLDED OVER THE ADJACENT END OF SAID FOOD SLICES TO CONFORM TO THE CONTOUR OF THE MASS, AND MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID FLAPS IN SUCH FOLDED CONDITION. 